Securable device and method for securing the same

ABSTRACT

A device comprising a corkscrew; a substantially flexible shaft operably attached to the corkscrew at a first end of the shaft; and one or more protrusions extending from the shaft between the first end of the shaft and a second end of the shaft. Methods of using the device are also disclosed.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority from U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 63/232,759 filed on Aug. 13, 2021 and the benefit ofpriority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/307,220 filed on Feb.7, 2022, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

Erosion caused by hydraulic scouring of material and sediments hassignificant effects on hard structures, such as bridges, underwatersupports, pipeline, cables, as well as ecological areas such as marsh,wetlands, and/or swamp areas, deltas, beaches, shores, barrier islands,fluvial environments, shore communities and low-lying cities.

Further, shorelines are being stripped and/or eroded away byincreasingly powerful storm surges, leading to impacts on the quality oflife and economic activity of shore communities dependent on their beacheconomy. Vulnerable communities experience greater frequency of flooddisasters and sea water penetration due to shore and dune loss.

Increased storm surge flooding has resulted in greater infrastructuredamage and loss of life.

Further, valuable wetland habitats are being degraded by edge-erosion ofcord grasses, marsh grasses and other plant species, leading to habitatloss and economic loss due to collapse of fisheries both commercial andrecreational.

Typically, rigid structures are used to guard against and/or reduce theamount of scouring, but these rigid structures have many drawbacks,including their overall ineffectiveness, tendency to have unintendedconsequences of promoting or redirecting scouring elsewhere, disruptionof ecosystems including the blocking of species movement, and theirweight makes transport and installation/removal difficult. Thesetraditional “hard” beach erosion controls, such as jetties, groins,seawalls, breakwaters etc. are ineffective and have fallen out of favor.

Sand replacement, referred to by the industry as “beach nourishment”, isa current response to beach sand loss, but this strategy has manynegative drawbacks including that nourishment is (a) expensive, (b)causes beach closings as beaches are unavailable to be used by thepublic during re-sanding and with it economic loss; (c) appropriatequality replacement sand is getting harder and harder to source; (d)replacement sand particles are of different size, shape, composition, orcolor from existing naturally accrued sand, leading to negativeecological consequences; (e) added sand is less stable than naturallyaccrued sand so it erodes at accelerated rates, resulting in continuousneed to re-sand; and (f) beach nourishment off-shore sand dredgingdestroys sea creatures at the dredging sites, and destroys shorecreatures where and when the sands is deployed. This negatively anddrastically alters beach ecology, reefs, and off-shore habitat, andcommercial and recreational fishing.

What is desired is a device that overcomes these drawbacks and is easierto transport, install, reposition and/or remove with minimal tools andcosts. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide devices and methodsthat address the above needs.

Further, what is desired is protection from storm surge penetration intolow-lying cities, communities and vulnerable areas, which needs to besuppressed to limit damages to infrastructure and prevent loss of life.The devices of the present disclosure can be utilized to absorb anddisrupt wave energy, acting as a limiting force on the penetratingwaves. The devices of the present disclosure can be installed inmultiple ways, including torque driving into sediments layers, boltinginto hard substrates, screwing into plates, welding, insertion intosleeves, attached to temporary structures etc. to create a flexiblelimiting barrier to storm surge and wave penetration.

Further, what is desired are devices and methods to mitigateedge-erosion of wetlands and shorelines.

Further, what is desired are devices and methods to protect vulnerableseedling plantings during thin-layer placement planting projects.Devices and methods of this disclosure can include various streamersand/or predator decoys to discourage grazing of new seedling plantings.

Further what is desired are devices and methods to protect sediment thathas been added to shorelines, during beach nourishment, until it cansubstantially stabilize through compaction by natural processes.

Further, what is desired are devices and methods to accumulate and holdsediment, and to release the sediment by a positional change at ahigher, or pre-determined water flow rate to increase and/or influencesediment loads at sediment diversion projects.

Further what are desired are devices and methods to accumulate and holdsediment, in a determined area, and to release the sediment by apositional change at a higher, or pre-faster water flow rate to allowsediments to be swept pass an area meant to be remain clear ofsediments, such as a harbor, dock or shipping lanes.

Further what is desired are methods and devices to prevent sedimentscour and/or accumulate sediments on seabed, river, lake or ocean floor.

Further, what is desired are devices and methods that can influencehydraulic directional flow, such as by instigating unequal water flowpressure. Devices and methods can cause unequal water flow pressure,thereby causing current to flow to areas of lesser pressure orresistance, producing mixing of water columns.

Further what is desired are devices and methods to trap, hold andaccumulate wind-blown sand or sediment to promote creation of dunes, ormounds, where desired. These methods and devices can be of varyingheights, and can form substantially rounded mound-like structures ofvarying shapes and sizes, and be deployed alone or in arrays to producedesired lengths and/or contours and formations.

Further what is desired are devices and methods to protect unstablesand, newly applied or otherwise, from wind erosion.

Further what are desired are devices that can accumulate wind-blown sandto form dunes. Once sediments have been accumulated, these devices canbe repositioned and/or adjusted upwards or sideways by un-torquing,which in turn, allows new sediments to additionally be accrued, leadingto nuanced control of height and shape of dunes.

Further what is desired are devices and methods to trap, hold andaccumulate water-borne sediment flowing into basins for the purposes ofwetland, splay marsh or land creation.

Further what is desired are devices that can be deployed in small orlarge numbers, as an absorptive breakwater field, to act in a similarmanner as an “artificial wetland” to reduce storm surge by hydrodynamicenergy absorption.

Further what is desired is an easily deployable and re-deployable devicethat creates niches, cubbies or pockets, that can function as artificialreef-like habitat providing nursery habitat, predator refuge, etc fornektonic and stationary species.

Further what is desired is a device that can reduce turbidity in largebodies of water by capturing sediment run-off from creeks, streams andrivers flowing into these larger bodies of water. Increased turbiditydue to increased water-borne sediments entering the ocean, seas, soundsetc. has negative effects on flora and fauna.

Further what is desired are devices that are relatively easily installedand removed, which could function as an attractive medium and habitatfor wild oyster pediveliger larvae to attach to. These devices could bedriven into estuarine and marine sediments in waters where wild oysterfree-swimming larvae are located and relatively plentiful. Once oysterlarvae attach to this oyster larvae accumulation/habitat device, thedevice can remain in place until the oyster spat is well established onthe protrusions, and then the entire device be removed and relocated toanother place where it can be re-driven into the environment. Thissecond location can be in an area where oyster presence and/or oysterreefs are desired for commercial oyster production, water filtering,cleaning, turbidity reduction, remediation of pollution, creation of anoyster-based ecosystem, seeding of new wild oyster populations when thecollected oysters spawn, and/or wave and surge mitigation purposes.

Further, what is desired are devices that contain cubbies, niches and/orpockets, that can be relatively easily and securely attached to aloose-sediment-morphology cliff face to hold naturally accrued sedimentor be manually filled with a sediment and/or plant growing medium. Thestructure of the device can provide structural stabilization to allowvegetative growth on this sediment medium, which in turn flora wouldsend root systems into the existing cliff face, acting to lock and/orbind the existing sediment matix in a way to mitigate and/or preventerosion, landslip and/or landslides. After vegetation stabilizes, thedevices could be removed and reused to secure another area. Or thesedevices can be fabricated from bioplastics, biodegradable plastics,mycelium plastics, or any other degradable material allowing the framestructure to decompose while the coil can be reused at new locations.Multiple devices could be driven into the cliff escarpment, forming alattice of cubbies. The completed installation would be slurryhydroseeded. Sprouted flora would send root systems into the loosesediment, binding the matrix.

Further what is desired are relatively light-weight and portablebreakwater devices that can be relatively easily installed, removedand/or relocated. Traditional breakwaters are immobile rock, stones,concrete or similar heavy material designed to withstand the force ofwaves, while influencing the wave trajectory. The disclosed devices canbe substantially hollow and can be composed of any suitable materialthat contains holes and so the internal cavity can at least partiallyfill with water. The device can include at least one verticaltunnel-hole which allows at least one corkscrew device to pass throughthe device. A flange on the top of the coil can be larger than thetunnel-hole diameter, thus maintaining the configuration of thecorkscrew device and the breakwater device. A torqueable head can beattached to the flange allowing the coil to be torqued and driven intothe bed of the body of water for installation, so that the breakwaterdevice can remain substantially fixed over time.

Further what is desired is a device with one or more horizontal shafts,which can move vertically on another shaft, so that the one or morehorizontal shafts can remain on a surface of the water the device isinstalled in as the water height changes. These one or more horizontalshafts can reduce wave energy and/or current energy of the water thedevice is installed in.

Further what are desired are replacement protrusions, that are removablefrom a shaft, and can be replaced with other replacement protrusionswhen a first replacement protrusion, or an originally installedprotrusion is worn down, and/or breaks, and/or is not functioning asdesired due to interaction with the environment.

These replacement protrusions can be formed of any suitable material,such as a woven material that is substantially flexible.

Further what is desired are floating platforms containing and/or coatedwith a biota attractant material such as a calcium comprising material,a carbonate comprising material or a calcium carbonate comprisingmaterial. These floating platforms can be anchored to the bed of a bodyof water, and if two or more floating platforms are included, they canbe connected to each other. The floating platforms can be buoyant sothat they are floating within the water column, affecting wave energy asit passes through the water column. These floating reefs can provideplatforms for shellfish such as mussels and oysters, which in turn wouldprovide sustenance farming, or food for fish and other species,re-establishing natural species balance.

Further what is desired is a device that includes a current generationmechanism, such as triboelectrical devices (TENGS) which can generateelectric power through kinetic energy influence from the wind and/orwater moving a portion of the device.

Further what is desired are devices to attach to bridge foundations,fluvial or marine structural footings, turbine and drilling platforms,etc. to mitigate hydrodynamic scouring. These devices would absorbhydrodynamic energy by flexing, producing friction, creating chaoticwater currents, and disruption of water flow.

Further what are desired are devices that can be deployed by a ship orbarge to prevent hydrodynamic scouring that leads to unearthing ofpipelines & cables beneath the seabed. Absorbent protrusions act toaccumulate sediments and mitigate erosion. Deployed by ship or barge,these devices, with pointed bottoms and stabilizing flanges, sink to theseafloor and passively embeds to mitigate scour unearthing and protectagainst rupturing of these conduits.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is directed to a device comprising a corkscrew; asubstantially flexible, or non-flexible, shaft operably attached to thecorkscrew at a first end of the shaft; and one or more flexible, ornon-flexible, protrusions extending from the shaft between the first endof the shaft and a second end of the shaft.

The methods and devices disclosed herein can be implemented and beoperational for many different uses and outcomes. In this section adiscussion of some of the possible impacts are discussed.

Modification and control of hydrodynamic water flow:

Devices of the disclosure can produce hydraulic modulation.

-   -   1. Devices of the disclosure can be installed into or onto sand,        mud, soil, riverbed, riverbank, beach, shoreline, sea floor, or        other ground substrates.        -   i. Devices of the disclosure can be driven into substrates            by applying torque (such as to a top bolt cap), which            transmits torque through the shaft of the device to a coil            with a pointed bottom tip. The twisting of the device causes            the coil to enter the substrate in a corkscrew manner, which            can secure the device.        -   ii. Devices of the disclosure can also be installed to            substrates by various types of mechanical attachment to            pilings, columns, bases, footings, foundations, rock            formations, breakwaters, concrete embankments, or other            types of structural supports, themselves secured to the            intended substrate by other typical means.        -   iii. Devices of the disclosure can be attached to a weighted            base, deployed at the water's surface, and sunk to the river            or lake bed, ocean bed or sea floor, and held in place by            the weighted base and stabilizing flange            -   1. In some embodiments flexible dynamic members are                attached to a weighted and pointed base. These can be                deployed onto a desired area by dropping off of a ship                or barge into the water.            -   2. The weighted pointed assembly would sink to the water                bed or ocean floor, anchor itself and function                accordingly.            -   3. The pointed shape allows penetration into the                sediment, while the flange acts to stabilize the                assembly.            -   4. Once deployed these devices would function to prevent                scour of anchored structural supports including drilling                platforms, and wind turbine towers. Also to prevent                unearthing of buried infrastructure, pipe or cables, by                both accumulating and by mitigating sediment from being                eroded away.    -   2. Devices of the disclosure function to influence and modulate        water flow and can cause head-loss, energy-absorption,        disruption, deflection, deceleration, impediment, blocking, wave        reduction, turbulence, chaotic current dynamics, current        modulation and/or friction loss.    -   3. Devices of the disclosure can be deployed in substantial        enough numbers to create arrays or groupings in which the effect        of an individual device is amplified, multiplied and/or        synergistically increased by the entire group.    -   4. Devices of this disclosure can function in a manner of an        artificial wetland, absorbing wave and storm surge energy.

Modification and control of water waves, storm surge, tidal forces andcurrents:

-   -   1. Slowing or disruptions of sediment-carrying currents leads to        sediment dropping out of suspension. Sediment dropping out of        water-suspension results in depositional building and        accumulation of sediment layers.        -   i. Devices of the disclosure can accumulate sediments to            increase elevations of marsh or shore habitat.        -   ii. Devices of the disclosure can accumulate sediments to            capture sand at beach shorelines.        -   iii. Devices of the disclosure can accumulate sediment and            prevent scour unearthing of underwater buried pipeline and            cables and/or undermining of underwater structural supports.        -   iv. Devices of the disclosure can accumulate, hold and            subsequently release sediment for sediment diversion            projects.        -   v. Devices of the disclosure can directionally modulate            water current flow.    -   2. Decreasing of wave energy leads to decreased beach and        sediment scour.

Modification and control of fluvial processes:

-   -   1. Devices of the disclosure can function to accumulate, trap,        capture, and/or secure sediment deposition during a slow fluvial        (low water level) water flow rate.        -   i. Devices of the disclosure can be passively oriented in an            upright vertical position during slow and low water flow            rates. During this upright positional phase, perforated            baffles trap, accumulate and hold sediment.            -   1. Vertical position promotes sedimentation, and traps                and holds sediment.    -   2. Devices of the disclosure can function to release secured        sediment at a fast fluvial (high water level) flow rate, by        passively tipping to a horizontal position, due to increased        water pressure on the baffles. Release point can be regulated by        modifying barrel/antennae spring buckling threshold.        -   i. Devices of the disclosure can tilt during high and fast            fluvial flow.        -   ii. Increased water flow causes lateral pressure on the            baffles, buckling the spring and causing the tilting of the            device. This produces a change of orientation from vertical            to horizontal.        -   iii. Devices of the disclosure no longer accumulates or            holds sediment while oriented in a horizontal position.            Accumulated sediment is now free to be swept away by the            high and fast fluvial flow.            -   1. Horizontal position occurs when river water level is                high and subsequent current flow is fast.            -   2. Horizontal position releases stored sediment into the                fast current    -   3. Devices of the disclosure can function to control fluvial        processes to allow engineering control of sediment deposition        and movement. This control is advantageous for sediment        diversion projects.        -   i. Devices of the disclosure can collect and store sediment            when low/slow-river flow disqualifies the opening of            diversion floodgates, and releases sediment when            high/fast-river flow results specifies an opening of            floodgates to allow sediments to be swept inside.        -   ii. This results in an increased net-gain of sediment load            available to flow into floodgates and reach intended flood            basins with land-building sediment.    -   4. Devices of the disclosure can be deployed to capture and hold        fluvial sediments upstream from an area desired to be free from        sediment deposition, while river flow is low/slow. Devices would        tip to horizontal position and release captured sediment when        river flow is high/fast/strong enough to sweep sediment past        area desired to be free from depositional sediment buildup.        -   i. This function could be utilized to help keep downstream            shipping channels free from sediment accumulation and            decrease the need for dredging.    -   5. Devices of the disclosure can function to promote mixing of        fluvial water columns and/or influence water currents by        redirection of existing water flow whether upward, downward or        side-to-side.        -   i. Device produces variations in pressure to influence the            direction of water flow.        -   ii. Device can direct water flow upward or downward to            control the mixing of water columns and allow influence            regarding water column turbidity, salinity, biota, oxygen            level, pathogen-viability, contamination, concentration of            total and dissolved solids, water flow speed, etc.            -   1. Ability to control mixing of fluvial water columns                allow nuanced engineering control of restoration,                remediation and/or sediment diversion projects        -   iii. Device function that affects upward or downward current            flow can promote sediment deposition or promote sediment            evacuation.            -   1. Device can strongly direct fluvial current flow                downward to cause sediment evacuation and removal by                river currents.            -   2. Device can strongly direct evacuated fluvial sediment                flow upward to cause sediment removal transport by river                currents.            -   3. Device can direct fluvial flow downward to influence                deposition in a prescribed area.

Prevention of sediment scour and/or accumulate sediments on water bed orfloor:

-   -   1. Devices of the disclosure can have fins that have a        horizontal, or partial horizontal plane to the current flow. The        horizontal plane acts to create a wobble effect as minute        fluctuations in the currents cause the fin to rise and fall        rapidly. Points of resonance can be created which would further        increase the movement of these fins. The vertical movement of        the fins further absorb energy and create eddies in the current        stream, disrupting the steady flow. This disruption decreases        structural scour capabilities.

Influence of hydraulic directional flow by instigating unequal waterflow pressure:

-   -   1. Devices of the disclosure can have finds with unequal        dimensional width. The fins are arranged to create a gradient        from small to large, or large to small.    -   2. Causing unequal water flow pressure causes current to flow to        area of lesser pressure or resistance, producing mixing of water        columns    -   3. Mixing of water columns    -   4. Fins can be designed to form one or several levels of cones.    -   5. Water flow across the diagonal plane of a cone causes        directional alteration.

The disclosure can also be directed to a method of installing a devicecomprising the steps of: contacting an upper surface of a substrate witha first end of the device, wherein the device comprises: a corkscrew; asubstantially flexible shaft operably attached to the corkscrew at afirst end of the shaft; and one or more protrusions extending from theshaft between the first end of the shaft and a second end of the shaft;and applying a torque to the corkscrew.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present disclosure will be better understood by reference to thefollowing drawings, which are provided as illustrative of certainembodiments of the subject application, and not meant to limit the scopeof the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the device of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the device of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3A is a view of an embodiment of a protrusion of the device of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 3B is a view of an embodiment of a protrusion of the device of thepresent disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 5 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 6 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9A is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9B is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9C is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 9D is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 10 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 11 is a view of a plate holder of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 12 is a view of a protrusion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIGS. 13A-13E are views of protrusions of embodiments of the disclosure.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 15 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 16 is a bottom view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 17 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 18 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 19 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 20 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 21 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 22 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 23 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 24 is a view of a portion of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 27 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 28 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 29 is a front view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 30 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of a protrusion of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 32 is a top view of a protrusion of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 33 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 34 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 35 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 36 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 37 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 38 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 39 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 40 is a top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 41 is a magnified, perspective view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 43 is a magnified, top view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 44 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of thedisclosure.

FIG. 46 is a magnified, perspective, horizontal cross-section of a shaftof an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 47 is a magnified, top, horizontal cross-section of a shaft of anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 48 is a magnified, top, horizontal cross-section of a shaft of anembodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 49 is a geographic representation that illustrates the approximategeography and the approximate location of installed experimentalelements.

FIG. 50 is a graphical representation of sediment level over time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

In the discussion and claims herein, the term “about” indicates that thevalue listed may be somewhat altered, as long as the alteration does notresult in nonconformance of the process or device. For example, for someelements the term “about” can refer to a variation of ±0.1%, for otherelements, the term “about” can refer to a variation of ±1% or ±10%, orany point therein.

As used herein, the term “substantially”, or “substantial”, is a broadterm and is used in its ordinary sense, including, without limitation,being largely but not necessarily wholly that which is specified, whichis equally applicable when used in a negative connotation to refer tothe complete or near complete lack of an action, characteristic,property, state, structure, item, or result. For example, a surface thatis “substantially” flat would mean either completely flat, or so nearlyflat that the effect would be the same as if it were completely flat.

As used herein terms such as “a”, “an” and “the” are not intended torefer to only a singular entity but include the general class of which aspecific example may be used for illustration.

As used herein, terms defined in the singular are intended to includethose terms defined in the plural and vice versa.

References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “certainembodiments”, some embodiments” or “an embodiment”, indicate that theembodiment(s) described may include a particular feature orcharacteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include theparticular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such phrasesare not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when aparticular feature, structure, or characteristic is described inconnection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within theknowledge of one skilled in the art to affect such feature, structure,or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or notexplicitly described.

For purposes of the description hereinafter, the terms “upper”, “lower”,“right”, “left”, “vertical”, “horizontal”, “top”, “bottom”, andderivatives thereof shall relate to the invention, as it is oriented inthe drawing figures. The terms “overlying”, “atop”, “positioned on” or“positioned atop” means that a first element, is present on a secondelement, wherein intervening elements interface between the firstelement and the second element. The term “direct contact” or “attachedto” means that a first element and a second element are connectedwithout any intermediary element at the interface of the two elements.

Reference herein to any numerical range expressly includes eachnumerical value (including fractional numbers and whole numbers)encompassed by that range. To illustrate, reference herein to a range of“at least 50” or “at least about 50” includes whole numbers of 50, 51,52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, etc., and fractional numbers 50.1,50.2 50.3, 50.4, 50.5, 50.6, 50.7, 50.8, 50.9, etc. In a furtherillustration, reference herein to a range of “less than 50” or “lessthan about 50” includes whole numbers 49, 48, 47, 46, 45, 44, 43, 42,41, 40, etc., and fractional numbers 49.9, 49.8, 49.7, 49.6, 49.5, 49.4,49.3, 49.2, 49.1, 49.0, etc.

The present disclosure is directed to a device 100 as seen in FIG. 1 .The device 100 includes a corkscrew 102 that can be any suitable length,such as from 1 inch to about 50 feet. Although the corkscrew 102 isshown as being helically wound in a clockwise direction in theembodiment of FIG. 1 , in other embodiments the corkscrew 102 can behelically wound in counter-clockwise direction.

A first end of the corkscrew 104 can be substantially blunt orsubstantially pointed, and is configured to contact a substrate, andupon receipt of a rotational force, as described below, penetrate intoan upper surface of the substrate. Upon penetrating the substrate, ascontinued rotational force is applied through the first end of thecorkscrew 104, the device 100 is drawn further into the substrate untilat least a portion of the corkscrew 102 is within the substrate.

An optional stop can also be included at any portion of the corkscrew102 to stop or reduce rotational progress of the corkscrew 102 and/or toprovide stability to the device 100.

As used herein the term “substrate” can be any man-made and/or naturallyoccurring substance, such as but not limited to sand, gravel, dirt, mud,clay, and combinations thereof, that is at least somewhat capable ofbeing shifted to allow for the corkscrew 2 to penetrate the substrate asuitable distance.

The upper surface of the substrate can be under water, with the waterbeing salt and/or fresh water. In other embodiments the upper surface ofthe substrate can be partially underwater, and/or partially out of thewater depending on tides, etc. In other embodiments the upper surface,or the entirety of the substrate can be above water.

The cross sectional size of the corkscrew 102 can be any suitable size,such as about 1/16″ to about 30″ across. Further, the cross-sectionalshape of the corkscrew 102 can be any suitable shape, such as a circle,triangle, rectangle, square, ellipse, pentagon, star, cross six or moresided polygon, or an erratic chape.

The corkscrew 102 can be formed of any suitable material, such asplastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials, elastomer,rubber, and combinations thereof, and can be rigid, substantially rigid,flexible, or substantially flexible. Further, varying portions of thecorkscrew 102 can be formed of different materials and/or can havedifferent flexibilities as compared to other portions of the corkscrew102.

As used herein the term “rigid”, or any derivative thereof, is a broadterm used in its ordinary sense and refers to the flexural rigidity of amaterial that generally avoids substantial deformation and/or maintainsvery close to its original form after pressure has been applied to it.

As used herein the term “flexible”, or any derivative thereof, is abroad term and can refer to a material that is substantially deformableand able to be bent, unbent, expanded, contracted, folded, unfolded, orotherwise substantially deformed or caused to change shape uponapplication of a force. The material can be of any suitable flexibility,such as having a flexibility factor of about 0.1 GPa-about 10,000 GPa,about 0.1 GPa-about 1,000 GPa, about 0.1 GPa-about 100 GPa, about 1GPa-about 50 GPa, about 10 GPa-about 25 GPa, etc. and substantially orwholly return to its original shape after force ceases.

The corkscrew 102 can be of any suitable diameter, such as having anouter diameter 110 of between about ½″ to about 60″. Also, the corkscrew102 can have any suitable pitch 108 between adjacent axially alignedportions of the corkscrew 102, such as a pitch of between ½″ to about60″.

A second end 106 of the corkscrew 102 is operably attached to a shaft120 at a first end of the shaft 122. In some embodiments the corkscrew102 and the shaft 120 are formed of a single piece of material. In otherembodiments the corkscrew 102 and the shaft 120 are joinedtogether/operably attached in any suitable way, such as throughmechanical coupling (e.g. welding, a coupling, a bracket, bolting,connection through a separate elastic element, etc.) and/or an adhesive.Further, the corkscrew 102 and the shaft 120 can be operably attached toeach other at any portion between the end of the helical twist of thecorkscrew 102. The corkscrew 102 can be configured to allow for acentral plug of sediment to remain intact within the structure of thecorkscrew 102 itself, with that plug of sediment having connection(s) tothe surrounding sediment field.

Optionally, a substantially planar disc 124 of any suitable shape andsize can surround or partially surround the shaft 104 near the first endof the shaft 120.

Also optionally, a disc or other protrusion(s) of a bar-like shape canextend from near the vicinity of the first end of the shaft 120, whichcan act as a stop and can provide a stabilizing force to the device 100.This optional disc or other protrusion(s) can also limit side-to-sidemovement being transmitted down to the coil.

Optionally, a pilot hole can be made first by an auger post digger,which would start initial staging of the device 100 to start at belowground surface, allowing deeper penetration of the corkscrew 102. Thepilot hole can also act as a stabilizing cradle to hold the device 100as it is torqued.

The cross-sectional size of the shaft 120 can be any suitable size, suchas about 1/16″ to about 10″ across. Further, the cross-sectional shapeof the shaft 120 can be any suitable shape, such as a circle, triangle,rectangle, square, ellipse, pentagon, star, cross six or more sidedpolygon, or an erratic shape.

The shaft 104 can be formed of any suitable material, such as plastic,glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials, elastomer, rubber,rope, cable, thread, wire, string, chain, twisted twine, twisted masonline, synthetic fibers, fishing line, sisal, coconut fiber andcombinations thereof, and can be rigid, substantially rigid, flexible,or substantially flexible.

Further, varying portions of the shaft 104 can be formed of differentmaterials and/or can have different flexibilities as compared to otherportions of the shaft 104. Specifically, the shaft 104 can be flexibleor substantially flexible along one or more portions of its lengthbetween the first end of the shaft 122 and a second end of the shaft126. Also, the shaft 104 can be flexible or substantially flexible alongits entire length between the first end of the shaft 122 and the secondend of the shaft 126.

Further, the flexibility of the shaft 104 can absorb forces from wavesand/or flowing water, and/or wind, which, in some embodiments, act toreduce forces against the substrate the device 100 is placed in and mayreduce a scour affect. Further, the device 100 can reduce the overallpower and travel distance of waves and storm surge. Further, in someembodiments, the flexibility of the shaft 104 can, by slowing waterflow, cause sediment to drop out of the water and/or wind suspension,thereby limiting the travel distance and inland penetration of wavesand/or other moving water.

As can be seen in FIG. 1 , one or more protrusions 128 extend from theshaft 126 between the first end of the shaft 122 and the second end ofthe shaft 126. In this embodiment a plurality of protrusions 128 areshown, but in other embodiments, one protrusion, two, or more can beincluded, such as any number of protrusions from between one to about10,000 or more protrusions. The one or more protrusions 128 can act toincrease turbulence, such as by head loss, friction loss, and/or chaoticcurrent flow, etc., in water around the device 100, which may impedeflow of water past and/or through the device 100 and/or absorb forcesfrom waves and/or flowing water, and/or wind, which, in someembodiments, act to reduce forces against the substrate the device 100is placed in. The one or more protrusions 128 can also act to slow theflow of water past and/or through the device 100 such that the thenslower water may be more prone to cause any suitable sediment and/orsand particle to drop out of suspension. In this embodiment the one ormore protrusions 128 begin a distance away from the corkscrew 102 on theshaft 120, however, in other embodiments, the lowest of the one or moreprotrusions 128 can be in contact with or near the corkscrew 102, sothat little or no shaft 120 is visible between the lowest of the one ormore protrusions 128 and the corkscrew 102.

In some embodiments each of the one or more protrusions 128 can beoperably attached to the shaft 126 in any suitable way, such as througha fixed, mechanical coupling (e.g. welding, a coupling, a bracket,bolting, a snug fit, a loose connection, connection through a separateelastic element, etc.), and/or a loose fitting/ability to freely rotatein one or both directions, and/or an adhesive.

In other embodiments the one or more protrusions 128 can be configuredas curved so that forces act differently on different portions of theone or more protrusions 128. Additionally, the one or more protrusions128 can be configured so that they only produce torque in one of aclockwise direction and a counter-clockwise direction about the shaft120, and can be prevented from rotating in the other direction fromwhich they are configured to rotate. If the one or more protrusions 128are configured to only rotate in a direction that is opposite thehelical configuration of the corkscrew 102 (such that the one or moreprotrusions 128 are prevented from rotating in the same direction as thehelical configuration of the corkscrew 102) the one or more protrusions128 can act as a helical driving force to the corkscrew 102 uponreceiving a force that is substantially perpendicular to a surface ofthe one or more protrusions 128, such as a force from a wave or acurrent of water, or the like.

The one or more protrusions 128 can be any suitable size and shape andcan be spaced any suitable length apart between the first end of theshaft 122 and the second end of the shaft 126. Additionally, the one ormore protrusions can be spaced at any suitable location about thecircumference of the shaft 122.

In some embodiments, one or more of the one or more protrusions 128 canbe curved in one or more directions and/or planes in a configuration toabsorb more force on one side of each of the one or more protrusions 128due to an energy transfer produced from both incoming and outgoing wavesand/or water flow. This curvature can cause the production of rotationalpressure on the shaft 120, and subsequently the corkscrew 102.

The one or more protrusions 128 can be formed of a unitary piece ofmaterial, or the one or more protrusions 128 can be formed of two ormore pieces of material that are coupled together. The one or moreprotrusions 128 can be all be formed of the same material or differentmaterials as compared to other protrusions 128. The one or moreprotrusions 128 can be formed of any suitable material, such as plastic,glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials, elastomer, rubber,rope, cable, thread, wire, string, chain, twisted twine, twisted masonline, synthetic fibers, fishing line, sisal, coconut fiber andcombinations thereof, and can be rigid, substantially rigid, flexible,or substantially flexible.

In one embodiment, the one or more protrusions 128 can be bristle-likeand extend about ¾″ to about 60″ from the shaft 120. In yet otherembodiments, the one or more protrusions 128 can be a mesh material orany other perforated material.

In other embodiments, such as the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 ,the one or more protrusions 128 can include one or more plates 130 thatextend from an inner, central support 132 (shown in FIG. 3A). In otherembodiments, the one or more protrusions 128 can include one, two, fouror more plates up to about 100 plates. The one or more plates 130(including the central support 132) can be formed of a unitary piece ofmaterial or the one or more plates 130 and the central support 132 canbe formed of two or more pieces of material that are operably connected.

A more detailed view of the one or more protrusions 128 can be seen inFIG. 2 . The one or more protrusions 128 can have any suitable heightbetween the first end of the shaft 122 and the second end of the shaft126, such as about ¾″ to about 12″, and extend about ¾″ to about 60″from the shaft 120. Some or all of the one or more protrusions 128 caninclude a domed portion near its center, where the shaft 122 passesthrough the one or more protrusions 128, to cause the one or moreprotrusions 128 to be spaced apart a distance away from each other.

Optionally, the plate 130 can have one or more through holes 109 thatpass through the plate 130 in the depth direction. All plates 130 of thedevice 100 can include through holes 109, some plates 130 of the device100 can include through holes 109, or no plates 130 of the device 100can include through holes. The through holes can be any suitable number,such as one to 100, and can be any suitable size, such as about 1/16″ toabout 10″. Additionally, the through holes 109 can be located in anysuitable location and pattern within each plate 130.

On the second end of the shaft 126 an optional torquing mechanism 134can be included. The torquing mechanism 134 can be any structure that isconfigured to transmit torque to the shaft 120, such as a bolt head (asshown in FIG. 2 ), a handle, etc. This torquing mechanism 134 can beoperably attached to the second end of the shaft 126 in any suitable wayand can prevent the one or more protrusions 128 from dislodging from theshaft 120. The torquing mechanism 134 can also transmit a torque to thecorkscrew 102 to install or remove the corkscrew 102 from the substrate.

A more detailed view of the one or more protrusions 128 can be seen inFIG. 3A. FIG. 3A is a view of one of the one or more protrusions 128alone, without other elements. As can be seen in this embodiments, fourplates 130 are included and are joined about the central support 132.The central support 132 is dimensioned to extend around the periphery ofthe shaft 120.

Another embodiment of the one or more protrusions 128 is shown in FIG.3B. This embodiment of the one or more protrusions 128 includes a dome133, which can create a separation space between adjacent protrusions128 when they are arranged on the shaft 120. This dome 133 can be anysuitable height, such that any suitable distance between adjacentprotrusions 128 can be substantially maintained and this dome 133 can beformed of an additive material (operably connected to the centralsupport 132 in any suitable way), or dome 133 can be formed as asingular piece of material with a surface of the central support 132.

Embodiments of the device 100 can optionally include an extension shaft135 operably attached to the second end of the shaft 106. This extensionshaft 135 can include a flag 137, or any other suitable marking elementthat may make device 100 easier to see.

Another embodiment of a device, device 200 is shown in FIG. 5 .

Elements shown in FIG. 5 are comparable to those of FIG. 1 , with thefirst digit in this embodiment being 2 rather than 1 in the device 100embodiment. For example, the corkscrew 102 of the device 100 iscomparable, in formation and composition, to the corkscrew 202 of thedevice 200 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last twonumbers being the same between device 200 and the device 100 arecomparable, or the same, in formation and composition.

In device 200 a protrusions 228, including one or more plates 230 (inthis embodiment without through holes) extend along a length of an uppershaft 220B. The upper shaft 220 includes a first end 226B, with a firstend 226B of the upper shaft 220B being operably connected to a barrelspring 221, with the barrel spring 221 connected to a second end 226A ofa lower shaft 220A. A first end 222A of the lower shaft 220A can beoperably connected to a substantially planar disc 224 or directly to aportion of the corkscrew 202. This barrel spring 221 can be any suitablesize, have any suitable spring constant be formed of any suitablematerial such as plastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-basedmaterials, elastomer, rubber, and combinations thereof.

As used herein, the term “barrel spring” can refer to any elasticelement of any material and/or to any device having a spring constant orother elastic properties, of any material, including but not limited toa torsion springs, extension springs, compression springs and barrelsprings. The term “barrel spring” can also refer to a substantiallycylindrical arrangement of wound coils, with the substantiallycylindrical arrangement having one substantially the same diameter, ortwo or more diameters of coil along the length of the substantiallycylindrical element. The “barrel spring” can be non-telescoping or canbe telescoping, which allows for smaller coils to squeeze down or up tobe located within larger coils during compression/expansion.

The barrel spring 221 can alternatively be further vertically, such thatone or more plates 230 are on the lower shaft 220A and one or moreplates 230 are on the upper shaft 220B.

The barrel spring 221 provides more flexibility to the device 200,beyond the flexibility of the upper shaft 220A and/or the lower shaft220A.

A more detailed view of the device 200, including the barrel spring 221can be seen in FIG. 6 . As can be seen the barrel spring 221 is operablyattached at its upper end to the first end 222B of the upper shaft 220B,and at its lower end to the second end 226A of a lower shaft 220A. Inaddition to being included in device 200, the barrel spring 221 can beincluded in any embodiment of this disclosure, in any suitable location.

Another magnified view of the device 200 is shown in FIG. 7 , whichillustrates the corkscrew 202 and the substantially planar disc 224,which is operably attached to the corkscrew 202 at one or more points.The corkscrew 202 can optionally be operably attached to itself atconnection point 203, alternatively, the portions of the corkscrew 202are just in contact at connection point 203. FIG. 8 provides anothermagnified view of the device 200, with the substantially planar disc 224being seen. In this embodiment, as well as in any other embodiment ofthe application, the substantially planar disc 224 can be any suitableshape, such a rectangular shape as seen in FIG. 8 . In this embodiment,the substantially planar disc 224 can be operably attached to thecorkscrew at each opposing end of the substantially planar disc 224.

Another embodiment of a device, device 300 is shown in FIGS. 9A-9D.

Elements shown in FIGS. 9A-9D are comparable to those of FIGS. 1 and 5 ,with the first digit in this embodiment being 3 rather than 1 in thedevice 100 embodiment or 2 in the device 200 embodiment. For example,the corkscrew 102 of the device 100 is comparable, in formation andcomposition, to the corkscrew 302 of the device 300 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, or the same,in formation and composition.

In device 300 of FIG. 9A, a plurality of protrusions are included, withprotrusions 328A of a first, larger diameter, provided above protrusions328B of a second, smaller diameter. In this embodiment the protrusions328A are further from the corkscrew 302 as compared to the protrusions328B, however, in other embodiments, protrusions with a larger diametercan be nearer the corkscrew 302 than protrusions of a smaller diameter.

In other embodiments, protrusions of three or more differing diameterscan be included along the length of the shaft 320, in any suitablepattern.

In the device 300 of FIG. 9B, a plurality of protrusions are included,with a protrusion 328C being the smallest diameter, and as theprotrusions are further away from the substantially planar disc 324,their diameter increases to the larges diameter protrusion, protrusion328D. This increase in diameter can be a constant, step-wise increasefor each additional protrusion, and/or can be a variable increase foreach additional protrusion.

In the device 300 of FIG. 9C, a plurality of protrusions are included,with a protrusion 328C being the smallest diameter, and as theprotrusions are closer to the substantially planar disc 324, theirdiameter increases to the larges diameter protrusion, protrusion 328D.This increase in diameter can be a constant, step-wise increase for eachadditional protrusion, and/or can be a variable increase for eachadditional protrusion.

In the device 300 of FIG. 9D, there are three sets of shafts andprotrusions 325. Each set of shaft and protrusion 325 can be the same orsimilar to any other device of the present disclosure. In FIG. 9D threesets of shafts and protrusions 325 are shown, however, in otherembodiments, one, two, four or more shafts and protrusions 325 can beoperably attached to the substantially planar disc. Also, each of thesets of shafts and protrusions 325 are shown as having the samedimensions in FIG. 9D, however, in other embodiments, each set of shaftand protrusion 325 can have the same dimensions as all other sets ofshafts and protrusions 325, or each set of shaft and protrusion 325 canhave different dimensions as compared to all other sets of shafts andprotrusions 325.

Another embodiment of a device, device 400 is shown in FIG. 10 .Elements shown in FIG. 10 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, and 9 ,with the first digit in this embodiment being 4 rather than 1 in thedevice 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, or 3 in thedevice 300 embodiment. For example, the corkscrew 102 of the device 100is comparable, in formation and composition, to the corkscrew 402 of thedevice 400 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last twonumbers being the same between device 400, device 300, device 200 andthe device 100 are comparable, or the same, in formation andcomposition.

FIG. 10 is a magnified view of device 400. In this embodiment, aprotrusion 428 is composed of a plate holder 401 and one or more plates430. The plate holder 401, shown in more detail below, is configured toextend around a portion, majority, or whole of a shaft 420. The plateholder 401 can be rotatable in both directions about shaft 420,rotatable around only one direction (clockwise or counter-clockwise), orthe plate holder 401 can be fixed to the shaft 420. The shaft 420 can beoperably attached to the substantially planar disc 424. Additionally, inthis embodiment, each plate holder 401 can be oriented to be offset fromthe plate holder above 401, such that the one or more plates 430 fromeach layer of plate holder 401 are not aligned.

The plate holder 401 maintains each of the one or more plates 430 in afixed position as compared to the plate holder 401 itself. In thisembodiment, the plate holder 401 is shown as maintaining six plates 430at substantially even intervals around the circumference of the plateholder 401. However, in other embodiments each of the one or more platescan be at any interval around the circumference of the plate holder 401.Also, in other embodiments, the plate holder 401 can maintain one plate,two plates, three plates, four plates, five plates, seven plates, ormore. The plate holder 401 is shown in more detail in FIG. 11 . Theplate holder 401 includes a shaft cavity 405, which allows the plateholder 401 to have the shaft 420 pass through the shaft cavity 405 andmaintain the position of the plate holder 401. The plate holder 401 alsohas at least one plate channel 407, such as, in this embodiment, sixindividual plate channels 407. Each of the at least one plate channels407, as well as the plate holder 401 itself, is dimensioned so as toaccommodate a portion of a plate 430 within the plate channel 407. Theportion of the plate 430 can be operably attached to the plate channel407 so that the plate 430 is maintained during operation of the device400.

Two more views of the protrusion 428 are shown in FIGS. 12 and 13A-13D.FIG. 12 is a view of the protrusion 428 with the plate holder 401including six plates 430, one plate in each plate channel 407. In theembodiment of FIG. 12 , each of the plates 430 includes a plurality ofthrough holes 432. In the embodiment of FIG. 13A, another view of theprotrusion 428 with the plate holder 401 including six plates 430, oneplate in each plate channel 407, is shown. In the embodiment of FIG.13A, each of the plates 430 does not include any through holes.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13B, each of the plates 430′ is contorted intoa spiraled, or twisted configuration. In the embodiment of FIG. 13B eachof the plates 430′ are contorted along an axis that is substantiallyparallel to the shaft cavity 405 of the plate holder 401. In theembodiment of FIG. 13B, each of the plates 430′ does not include anythrough holes, however, in other embodiments, one or more of the plates430′ could include through hole(s).

In the embodiment of FIG. 13C, each of the plates 430″ is a fractalstructure with a main branch 431 attached to the plate holder 401, witheach main branch 431 having one or more sub branches 431′, with thosesub branches 431′ having one or more sub, sub branches 431″. Those ofskill in the art understand that further branches can be possible foreach of plates 430″. In the embodiment of FIG. 13C, each of the plates430″ does not include any through holes, however, in other embodiments,one or more of the plates 430″ could include through hole(s).

In the embodiment of FIG. 13D, each of the plates 430″′ is in acurvilinear configuration, with any suitable radius of curvature beingpossible for any portion of each of the plates 430″′. In the embodimentof FIG. 13D each of the plates 430″′ curves to each side of an axis thatis substantially parallel to the shaft cavity 405 of the plate holder401. In the embodiment of FIG. 13D, each of the plates 430″′ does notinclude any through holes, however, in other embodiments, one or more ofthe plates 430″′ could include through hole(s).

Each plate holder 401 can be any suitable dimension, thus, the shaftcavity 405 can be any suitable size and shape to accommodate anysuitably sized and shaped shaft 420. Additionally, each plate holder 401can be any suitable dimension, thus, a height of the plate holder 401,and dimensions of the plate channel 407, can be modified to accommodateany plate 430 of any suitable thickness and width.

In the embodiment of FIG. 13E, each of the plates 430″″ each of theplates 430′ is contorted into a spiraled, or twisted configuration. Inthe embodiment of FIG. 13E each of the plates 430″″ are contorted alongan axis that is substantially parallel to the shaft cavity 405 of theplate holder 401. In the embodiment of FIG. 13E, each of the plates430″″ does not include any through holes, however, in other embodiments,one or more of the plates 430″″ could include through hole(s).

Each of the plates 430″″ includes a substantially flat portion 431,which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. Thesubstantially flat portion 431 can modulate water energy as water passesaround the substantially flat portion 431. Alternatively, or in additionto the modulation of water energy, as water passes the substantiallyflat portion 431, the plate 430″′ may flex and or vibrate up and/or downdue to contact from the water.

Another embodiment of a device, device 500 is shown in FIG. 14 .

Elements shown in FIG. 14 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, and10 , with the first digit in this embodiment being 5 rather than 1 inthe device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in thedevice 300 embodiment, or 4 in the device 400 embodiment. For example,the corkscrew 102 of the device 100 is comparable, in formation andcomposition, to the corkscrew 502 of the device 500 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 500, device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100 arecomparable, or the same, in formation and composition.

In FIG. 14 , the device 500 is shown, from a perspective of a second end526 of a shaft 520. In this embodiment the shaft 520 extends from thesecond end 526, and is operably attached to the substantially planardisc 524.

In this embodiment, a plurality of protrusions 528 are shown, with eachplate 530 extending from a plate holder 501.

FIG. 15 is a top view of device 500, from the perspective of beingvertically above the second end 526 of the corkcsrew 502. FIG. 16 is anunder view of device 500, from the perspective from being verticallybelow the bottom of the corkscrew 502.

Elements shown in FIG. 17 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,and 14 , with the first digit in this embodiment being 6 rather than 1in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in thedevice 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, or 5 in thedevice 500 embodiment. For example, the protrusion 128 of the device 100is comparable, in formation and composition, to the protrusion 628 ofthe device 600 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last twonumbers being the same between device 600, device 500, device 400,device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, or the same,in formation and composition.

In this embodiment a cord 639 is operably attached to a shaft 620 of thedevice 600. The cord 639 can be operably attached so as to rotateclockwise around the shaft 620, rotate counter-clockwise around theshaft 620, rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise around the shaft620, or be fixed to the shaft 620 without rotation. In this embodimenttwo cords 639 are shown, but in other embodiments, one cord, three cordsor more can be interspersed at any suitable location along the shaft620.

Each cord 639 can be formed of any synthetic and/or natural material,and can be a single length of material or several lengths of materialbraided and/or joined together. For example, each cord 639 can be formedof one or more lengths of flexible or substantially inflexible materialsuch as man-made and/or natural material, such as but not limited to,rope, cable, thread, wire, string, chain, twisted twine, twisted masonline, synthetic fibers, fishing line, sisal, coconut fiber, andcombinations thereof.

Each cord 639 can extend a predetermined distance from the shaft 620with each cord 639 being substantially the same length as other cords,and/or each cord being a different length from other cords.

Elements shown in FIG. 18 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, and 17 with the first digit in this embodiment being 7 rather than 1in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in thedevice 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, 5 in the device500 embodiment or 6 in the device 600 embodiment. For example, thecorkscrew 102 of the device 100 is comparable, in formation andcomposition, to the corkscrew 702 of the device 700 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 700, device 600, device 500, device 400, device 300, device 200and the device 100 are comparable, or the same, in formation andcomposition.

In the embodiment of FIG. 18 , a plurality of cords 739 act asprotrusions that extend from the shaft 720. In this embodiment there areseveral vertical layers that extend along substantially the entirelength of the shaft 720, but in other embodiments, the plurality ofcords 739 can extend along a portion of the shaft 720, with otherportions of the shaft 720 having no protrusions, or protrusions similarto those of FIGS. 1-17 .

Additionally, each cord 739 can extend a predetermined distance from theshaft 720 with each cord 739 being substantially the same length asother cords, and/or each cord being a different length from other cords.

In this embodiment each of the plurality of cords 739 are operablyattached to a shaft 720 of the device 700 (shown in more detail in FIG.19 ). Each of the plurality of cords 739 can be operably attached so asto rotate clockwise around the shaft 720, rotate counter-clockwisearound the shaft 720, rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise aroundthe shaft 720, or be fixed to the shaft 720 without rotation.

A magnified view of device 700 is shown in FIG. 19 . In FIG. 19 it canbe seen that each of the plurality of cords is attached to a cord holder701. The cord holder 701 in this embodiment has six cords 739 operablyattached to it, but, in other embodiments, each cord holder 701 can haveone cord, two cords, three cords, four cords, five cords, seven cords ormore. Additionally, each layer of the plurality of cords 739 is createdby those cords attached to the cord holder 701, with about seventeen“layers” of cord holder 701 viewable in FIG. 19 .

Elements shown in FIG. 20 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, 17, and 18 with the first digit in this embodiment being 8 ratherthan 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, 5 in thedevice 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600 embodiment or 7 in the device700 embodiment. For example, the plate 130 of the device 100 iscomparable, in formation and composition, to the plate 830 of the device800 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last two numbersbeing the same between device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500,device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, orthe same, in formation and composition.

In the embodiment of FIG. 20 , rather than a plurality of protrusions828 being secured to a shaft with a corkscrew, or other anchoringmechanism, the plurality of protrusions of device 800 are operablyattached to a structural shaft 861. This structural shaft 861 can be anydevice that supports a structure over a body of water. In thisembodiment, as one example, a roadway bridge 863 is supported by thestructural shaft 861. Although not shown, the structural shaft 861 isconfigured to be totally submerged or partially submerged within a waterbody, such as a stream, river, creek, channel, lake, or any portion ofany ocean, pond, lake, etc. As an example, the water level of that waterbody could be at any level represented by dashed lines 859A, 859B, 859C,or any other portion of the adjacent structural shaft 861.

The structural shaft 861 can be any suitable cross sectional shape suchas a circle, triangle, rectangle, square, ellipse, pentagon, star, crosssix or more sided polygon, or an erratic shape. The plate holder 801 canbe a corresponding shape, with each plate holder 801 able to be securedto a plate holder 801 vertically above and/or below it. Additionally,each plate holder 801 can rotate clockwise around the shaft structuralshaft 861, rotate counter-clockwise around the structural shaft 861,rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise around the structural shaft861, or be fixed to the structural shaft 861 without rotation. In theembodiment of FIG. 20 seven plate holders 801 can be seen, but in otherembodiments, one, two, three, four, five, six, eight or more plateholders 801 can be placed on various portions of the structural shaft861.

A magnified view of FIG. 20 is shown in FIG. 21 . In FIG. 21 each of theplate holders 801 is configured to hold twenty four plates 830. However,in other embodiments, each plate holder 801 can be configured to holdbetween one and twenty three plates, or twenty five plates or more.

A top view of FIG. 21 is shown in FIG. 22 , with the structural shaft861 removed for explanation purposes. As can be seen in FIG. 22 , eachof the plates 830 is operably attached to the plate holder 801 at aplate channel 807, with, in this embodiment, a shaft cavity 405 beingshown in a substantially circular cross section.

Elements shown in FIG. 23 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, 17, 18 and 20 with the first digit in this embodiment being 9 ratherthan 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, 5 in thedevice 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600 embodiment, 7 in the device700 embodiment or 8 in the device 800 embodiment. For example, thecorkscrew 102 of the device 100 is comparable, in formation andcomposition, to the corkscrew 902 of the device 900 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 900, device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500, device 400,device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, or the same,in formation and composition.

In the embodiment of FIG. 23 , a protrusion 928 is shown, with theprotrusion 928 including four plates 930. A perspective view is shown inFIG. 25 for a further view of the plates 930. In this embodimentprotrusion 928 includes four plates 930, but in other embodiments,protrusion 928 can include one plate, two plates, three plates, fiveplates, or more.

In the configuration of the device 900 shown in FIG. 23 , the protrusion928 is in a floating configuration due to (i) a water level 925 beingsufficiently high on the surface of the protrusion 928 (away from thesubstantially planar disc 924) to cause the protrusion 928 to besufficiently buoyant, (ii) water at the water level 925 moving at orbelow a speed threshold, and/or (iii) the force of the barrel spring 921being sufficient to maintain the protrusion 928 in the configurationshown in FIG. 23 . In this embodiment the protrusion 928 can be operablyattached/connected along at least a majority of a length of an uppershaft 920B, with the upper shaft 920B operably attached to a barrelspring 921. The barrel spring 921 is also operably attached to the lowershaft 220A, which is operably attached to the substantially planar disc924. The substantially planar disc 924 is in turn operably attached tocorkscrew 902.

In this embodiment, each of the plates 930 are attached to eachother toform the protrusion 928, with space between the four plates to containthe upper shaft 920B, which extends from the barrel spring 921 towards afirst end 926B. However, in other embodiments, a plate holder caninclude a shaft cavity and plate channels to operably attach each of theplates to the plate holder.

In this embodiment, each of the plates 930 include a through hole area931 and a solid area 929. The size of the through hole area 931, thesize of the through holes themselves and pattern of the through holesthemselves can be modified to suit any suitable outcome for a specificenvironmental condition or for a specific desired outcome of use ofdevice 900.

In this embodiment the protrusion 928 is operably attached to the shaft920B. The protrusion 930 can be operably attached so as to rotateclockwise around the shaft 920B, rotate counter-clockwise around theshaft 920B, rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwise around the shaft920B, or be fixed to the shaft 920B without rotation.

In the floating configuration of FIG. 23 , which typically occurs whenwater movement is below a speed threshold, device 900 contacts water andsediment within that water, and the device 900 acts to impede sedimentin the water, causing an increase in sedimentation in the vicinity ofthe device 900.

A magnified view of the device 900 of FIG. 23 is shown in FIG. 24 . Asseen in FIG. 24 , through holes 932 are arranged in a pattern in thethrough hole area 931.

FIG. 25 provides a perspective view of device 900, in the floatingconfiguration, without a water level being shown. As can be seen in FIG.25 , each of the four plates 928 is substantially perpendicular to aneighboring plate 928, but in other embodiments the angle between platesand the number of plates 928 can be increased or decreased.

FIG. 26 is a view of the device 900 in a non-floating configuration. Inthis view, the protrusion 928 is in a non-floating configuration due to(i) a water level 925 being sufficiently low (towards the substantiallyplanar disc 924) on the surface of the protrusion 928 to cause theprotrusion 928 to not be sufficiently buoyant, (ii) water around thedevice 900 moving above a speed threshold, and/or (iii) the force of thebarrel spring 921 being insufficient to maintain the protrusion 928 inthe configuration shown in FIG. 23 .

As can be seen in FIG. 26 , the barrel spring 921 has extended and theupper shaft 920B is substantially perpendicular to the lower shaft 920A.However, in other embodiments, any suitable angle can be formed betweenthe upper shaft 920B and the lower shaft 920A. The angle between theupper shaft 920B and the lower shaft 920A during any water or flowsituation can be customized by control of (i) the buoyancy of theprotrusion 928, and/or (ii) the spring force of the barrel spring 921.

A side view of the protrusion 928 in the non-floating configuration isshown in FIG. 27 .

Elements shown in FIG. 28 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, 17, 18, 20 and 23 with the first digits in this embodiment being 10rather than 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200embodiment, 3 in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400embodiment, 5 in the device 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600embodiment, 7 in the device 700 embodiment, 8 in the device 800embodiment or 9 in the 900 embodiment. For example, the protrusion 128of the device 100 is comparable, in formation and composition, to theprotrusion 1028 of the device 1000 embodiment. Thus, all referencenumbers with the last two numbers being the same between device 1000,device 900, device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500, device 400,device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, or the same,in formation and composition.

The device 1000 is shown in FIG. 28 . Although not seen, the protrusions1028 are operably connected to a shaft, with that shaft being operablyconnected to a substantially planar base 1054. The substantially planarbase 1054 is in turn operably attached to an anchor 1056. In someembodiments, substantially planar base 1054 and anchor 1056 are asingle, unitary structure. In this embodiment anchor 1056 is shown asbeing substantially conical, but in other embodiments anchor 1056 can beany suitable shape.

The device 1000 is configured to be placed on a lower surface of a bodyof water, with the anchor 1056 being configured to penetrate a portionthe lower surface and substantially maintain the location of the deviceon the lower surface. The substantially planar base 1054 is configuredto substantially maintain the orientation of the device 1000 bycontacting portions of the lower surface.

Elements shown in FIG. 29 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, 17, 18, 20, 23, and 28 with the first digits in this embodimentbeing 11 rather than 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200embodiment, 3 in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400embodiment, 5 in the device 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600embodiment, 7 in the device 700 embodiment, 8 in the device 800embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment or 10 in the 1000 embodiment. Forexample, the shaft 1120 of the device 1100 is comparable, in formationand composition, to the shaft 120 of the device 100 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 1000, device 900, device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500,device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, orthe same, in formation and composition.

The device 1100 is shown in FIG. 29 . The protrusions 1128 are operablyconnected to a shaft 1120, with that shaft being operably connected to asubstantially planar base 1154. The substantially planar base 1154 is inturn operably attached to an anchor 1156. In some embodiments,substantially planar base 1154 and anchor 1156 are a single, unitarystructure. In this embodiment anchor 1156 is shown as beingsubstantially conical, but in other embodiments anchor 1156 can be anysuitable shape.

In this embodiment of device 1100, three conical protrusions 1128 areoperably attached to the shaft 1120. However, in other embodiments, oneconical protrusion, two conical protrusions, four conical protrusions,or more can be included, and can be tapered vertically upward and/orvertically downward.

The device 1100 is configured to be placed on a lower surface of a bodyof water, with the anchor 1156 being configured to penetrate a portionthe lower surface and substantially maintain the location of the deviceon the lower surface. The substantially planar base 1154 is configuredto substantially maintain the orientation of the device 1100 bycontacting portions of the lower surface.

The device 1100 is configured to be dropped from a vessel intorelatively deeper water, where it will rest on the floor, heldsubstantially in place by the anchor 1156. In this embodiment, theconical protrusions 1128 function to direct water currents downwards(and/or upwards), in order to impact scouring of sediment directlybeneath, and in the vicinity of, the device 1100. In this embodiment thesubstantially planar base 1154 has several openings, which can beconfigured to redirect waterflow to access the sediment directly belowthe device 1100.

Elements shown in FIG. 30 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9, 10,14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28, and 29 with the first digits in this embodimentbeing 12 rather than 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in the device 200embodiment, 3 in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device 400embodiment, 5 in the device 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600embodiment, 7 in the device 700 embodiment, 8 in the device 800embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment, 10 in the 1000 embodiment, or 11 inthe 1100 embodiment. For example, the one or more protrusions 1228 ofthe device 1200 are comparable, in formation and composition, to the oneor more protrusions 128 of the device 100 embodiment. Thus, allreference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 1100, device 1000, device 900, device 800, device 700, device600, device 500, device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100are comparable, or the same, in formation and composition.

The device 1200 is shown in FIG. 30 . The protrusions 1228 are operablyconnected to a shaft 1220, with that shaft being operably connected to asubstantially planar base/anchor 1256. In some embodiments,substantially planar base/anchor 1256 is a single, unitary structure. Inthis embodiment the substantially planar base/anchor 1256 is shown ashaving a substantially conical section that penetrates at least aportion of a substrate 1271, but in other embodiments substantiallyplanar base/anchor 1256 can be any suitable shape. The substrate 1271can be any seabed, riverbed, lake floor or ocean floor.

In this embodiment of device 1200, a plurality of protrusions 1228 areoperably attached to the shaft 1220. In this embodiment, the shaft 1220can be substantially flexible and can be formed of any suitable flexiblematerial, such as rope, cable, thread, wire, string, chain, twistedtwine, twisted mason line, synthetic fibers, fishing line.

The device 1200 is configured to be placed on a lower surface of a bodyof water, with the substantially planar base/anchor 1256 beingconfigured to penetrate a portion the lower surface and substantiallymaintain the location of the device on the lower surface. One end of theshaft 1220 can be operably connected to the substantially planarbase/anchor 1256 at a substantially planar base/anchor connection point1269. Another end of the shaft 1220 can be connected to a float 1265 ata float connection point 1273.

The float 1265 is configured to maintain at least a portion of the shaft1220 a distance away from the substrate 1271. In some embodiments thefloat 1265 can be in the water column, a distance away from thesubstrate 1271, but itself still be underwater. In other embodiments,such as shown in FIG. 30 , the float can be wholly or partially above awater level 1267.

The float 1265 can be any suitable material (such as foam, plastic,wood, rubber, glass, metal, combinations thereof, etc.) and construction(such as solid, hollow, partially solid, partially hollow) so that thefloat 1265 is of sufficient buoyancy to maintain at least a portion ofthe shaft 1220 a distance away from the substrate 1271.

The device 1200 is configured to be dropped from a vessel, or placed bya person or robot, into relatively shallow water, where it will rest onthe floor, held substantially in place by the substantially planarbase/anchor 1256.

Elements shown in FIGS. 31-33 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5, 9,10, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28, 29, and 30 with the first digits in thisembodiment being 13 rather than 1 in the device 100 embodiment, 2 in thedevice 200 embodiment, 3 in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in the device400 embodiment, 5 in the device 500 embodiment, 6 in the device 600embodiment, 7 in the device 700 embodiment, 8 in the device 800embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment, 10 in the 1000 embodiment, 11 inthe 1100 embodiment, or 12 in the 1200 embodiment. For example, thecorkscrew 1302 of the device 1300 are comparable, in formation andcomposition, to the corkscrew 102 of the device 100 embodiment. Thus,all reference numbers with the last two numbers being the same betweendevice 1200, device 1100, device 1000, device 900, device 800, device700, device 600, device 500, device 400, device 300, device 200 and thedevice 100 are comparable, or the same, in formation and composition.

The device 1300 is shown in FIG. 31 . The protrusions 1328 are operablyconnected to a shaft 1320, with that shaft 1320 being operably connectedto a substantially planar disc 1324 (or in some embodiments to thecorkscrew 1302 directly). In this embodiment of device 1300, a pluralityof protrusions 1328 are operably attached to the shaft 1320.

These plurality of protrusions 1328 can be spaced apart from each otheron the shaft 1320 by any suitable spacing mechanism or structure. Also,the number of protrusions 1328 can be any suitable value, such as 1, 2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 20 or more. The corkscrew 1302 isconfigured to penetrate into an upper surface of a substrate upon arotational force such that the shaft 1320 is partially or wholly underwater. Details of the protrusions 1328 are shown in FIGS. 32 and 33 .

As can be seen in FIG. 32 , the protrusion 1328 includes four plates1330. In this embodiment protrusion 1328 includes four plates 1330, butin other embodiments, protrusion 1328 can include one plate, two plates,three plates, five plates, or more. Although not shown, each of theplates 1330 can include one or more through holes.

Each of the protrusions 1328 can be the same shape as other protrusions1328, or they can be different from each other, such as protrusion 128of the 100 embodiment, for example. Each protrusion 1328 can besubstantially concave, as is shown in FIGS. 31 and 32 , each protrusion1328 can be substantially flat, or each protrusion 1328 can besubstantially convex.

Each protrusion 1328 includes a shaft cavity 1305, which is configuredto extend around the shaft 1320. The shaft cavity 1305 can be configureditself, or in conjunction with another mechanism, to allow rotation ofthe protrusion 1328 in both a clockwise and a counter-clockwisedirection about the shaft 1320, in just a clockwise direction about theshaft 1320, in just a counter-clockwise direction about the shaft 1320,or be fixed so that the protrusion 1328 does not rotate about the shaft1320.

Any portion of the protrusion 1328 can be at least partially embedded,at least partially formed of and/or at least partially coated with anattractant material that is configured to attract biota, such as but notlimited to plankton, nektonic species and/or benthonic species. Thebenthonic species can include animals of the Mollusca phylum, such asbut not limited to bivalves, which include but are not limited to clams,oysters cockles, mussels, and scallops. The attractant material can beany suitable material, such as a calcium comprising material, acarbonate comprising material and a calcium carbonate comprisingmaterial. Any portion of the protrusion 1328 can also include groovesand/or indentations and/or a roughened surface, any and all of which canact as a way to increase the ability of biota to attach and/or hold ontothe protrusion 1328.

The plates 1330 (if protrusion 1328 includes two or more plates 1330)are spaced apart laterally from each other by an optional plate gap1311. Each plate can include one or more optional protrusions 1313, thatcan be located in any dimension, and can be any shape on an uppersurface of the plate 1330 and/or a lower surface of the plate 1330.

A top view is shown in FIG. 33 for a further view of the plates 1330. Ascan be seen in FIG. 33 .

Elements shown in FIGS. 34 and 35 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5,9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28, 29, 30, and 31-33 with the first digitsin this embodiment being 14 rather than 1 in the device 100 embodiment,2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in the device 300 embodiment, 4 in thedevice 400 embodiment, 5 in the device 500 embodiment, 6 in the device600 embodiment, 7 in the device 700 embodiment, 8 in the device 800embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment, 10 in the 1000 embodiment, 11 inthe 1100 embodiment, 12 in the 1200 embodiment, or 13 in the 1300embodiment. For example, the corkscrew 1402 of the device 1400 arecomparable, in formation and composition, to the corkscrew 102 of thedevice 100 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last twonumbers being the same between device 1300, device 1200, device 1100,device 1000, device 900, device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500,device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, orthe same, in formation and composition.

The device 1400 is shown in FIG. 34 . In this embodiment a protrusion1428 is configured to be secured to a relatively loose-sedimentmorphology, such as a cliff face. The protrusion 1428 can include one ormore protrusion cells 1443, with each protrusion cell having aprotrusion aperture 1445. In this embodiment many protrusion cells 1443are shown, but in other embodiments fewer or more protrusion cells 1443can be included in one protrusion 1428, in any suitable pattern andsize. Additionally, each protrusion cells 1443 is shown as being in ahexagonal shape, but in other embodiments each protrusion cell 1443 canbe the same shape as other protrusion cells 1443, or different shapesfrom other protrusion cells 1443, with each protrusion cell 1443 beingany suitable polygonal, curved and/or erratic shape.

The device 1400 also includes a securing flange 1441 at one end of theshaft 1420, with the securing flange 1441 including a torquable element,such as a bolt head, which can translate rotation from the securingflange 1441, to the corkscrew 1402. The device 1400 can be installedinto the morphology until a bottom surface of the protrusion 1428contacts at least a portion of the morphology.

Optionally, a user can fill one or more protrusion apertures 1445 withfurther morphology and/or vegetation (including seeds). As eachprotrusion aperture 1445 is open, roots of any vegetation can enter theexisting morphology.

The protrusion 1428 can be formed of any suitable material such asplastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials, elastomer,rubber, and combinations thereof. The suitable material of theprotrusion 1428 can be a biodegradable material, such that the corkscrew1302 could be removed and the protrusion 1428 could remain in theinstalled morphology over time.

Although in this embodiment only one device 1400 is shown, severaldevices 1400 can be installed adjacent and/or touching each other alongany portion of the periphery of each device 1400's protrusion 1428.

A side view of the device 1400 is shown in FIG. 35 . In otherembodiments, the protrusion 1428 can have a concave shape, a convexshape, or an erratic shape.

Elements shown in FIGS. 36 and 37 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5,9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31-33, and 34-35 with the firstdigits in this embodiment being 15 rather than 1 in the device 100embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in the device 300embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, 5 in the device 500embodiment, 6 in the device 600 embodiment, 7 in the device 700embodiment, 8 in the device 800 embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment, 10in the 1000 embodiment, 11 in the 1100 embodiment, 12 in the 1200embodiment, 13 in the 1300 embodiment, or 14 in the 1400 embodiment. Forexample, the corkscrew 1502 of the device 1500 are comparable, information and composition, to the corkscrew 102 of the device 100embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the last two numbers beingthe same between device 1400, device 1300, device 1200, device 1100,device 1000, device 900, device 800, device 700, device 600, device 500,device 400, device 300, device 200 and the device 100 are comparable, orthe same, in formation and composition.

The device 1500 is shown in FIG. 36 , in an unassembled state. In thisembodiment a protrusion 1528 is configured to be secured to a bed of abody of water and/or an exposed sand/sediment/granular/mud/soil surface.The protrusion 1528 can be solid, partially solid or substantiallyhollow. In this embodiment the protrusion 1528 is shown in a truncatedpyramidal shape, but in other embodiments, the protrusion 1528 can beany suitable polygonal, curved and/or erratic shape, and any suitablesize.

The protrusion 1528 includes at least one corkscrew tunnel 1547, but inother embodiments, the protrusion 1528 can include two or more corkscrewtunnels 1547 so that two or more corkscrews 1502 can be used with theprotrusion 1528 to secure the protrusion 1528 in the desired location.

The device 1500 also includes a securing flange 1541 at one end of theshaft 1520, with the securing flange 1541 including a torquable element,such as a bolt head, which can translate rotation from the securingflange 1541, to the corkscrew 1502. The device 1500 can be installedinto the morphology, such that the corkscrew 1502 passes through thecorkscrew tunnel 1547, the securing flange 1541 contacts an uppersurface of the protrusion 1528, and until a bottom surface of theprotrusion 1528 contacts at least a portion the surface of the bed ofthe body of water or the exposed sand/sediment/granular/mud/soilsurface.

The protrusion 1528 can include one or more protrusion fill holes 1549,which are configured to allow entry ofwater/sand/sediment/granular/mud/soil to enter an internal cavity of theprotrusion 1528.

The protrusion 1528 can be configured to be, when not filled with waterand/or sand/sediment/granular/mud/soil, to be relatively light weightand manually portable for a human user.

The device 1500 is shown in FIG. 36 , in an assembled state, with thecorkscrews 1502 passing through the corkscrew tunnel 1547, and thesecuring flange 1541 contacting an upper surface of the protrusion 1528.

Elements shown in FIGS. 38 and 39 are comparable to those of FIGS. 1, 5,9, 10, 14, 17, 18, 20, 23, 28, 29, 30, 31-33, 34-35, and 36-37 with thefirst digits in this embodiment being 16 rather than 1 in the device 100embodiment, 2 in the device 200 embodiment, 3 in the device 300embodiment, 4 in the device 400 embodiment, 5 in the device 500embodiment, 6 in the device 600 embodiment, 7 in the device 700embodiment, 8 in the device 800 embodiment, 9 in the 900 embodiment, 10in the 1000 embodiment, 11 in the 1100 embodiment, 12 in the 1200embodiment, 13 in the 1300 embodiment, 14 in the 1400 embodiment, or 15in the 1500 embodiment. For example, the corkscrew 1602 of the device1600 are comparable, in formation and composition, to the corkscrew 102of the device 100 embodiment. Thus, all reference numbers with the lasttwo numbers being the same between device 1500, device 1400, device1300, device 1200, device 1100, device 1000, device 900, device 800,device 700, device 600, device 500, device 400, device 300, device 200and the device 100 are comparable, or the same, in formation andcomposition.

A perspective view of the device 1600 is shown in FIG. 38 . In thisembodiment a horizontal shaft 1620′ is attached to a vertical shaft1620′, through a shaft connector 1651. The shaft connector 1651 isconfigured to slide vertically up and down on vertical shaft 1620′,depending on the buoyancy of the device 1600, and the height of waterthe device 1600 is placed in. In some embodiments, the device 1600 canbe designed with a sufficient buoyancy so that the horizontal shafts1620″ remain at a varying water level, or within a few inches, or a fewfeet, of a varying water level.

In this embodiment the shaft connector 1651 is attached to fourhorizontal shafts 1620″, however, in other embodiments, shaft connector1651 can be attached to one, two, three, five of more horizontal shafts1620″. The horizontal shafts 1620″ can act to reduce wave energy and/orcurrent energy of the water the device 1600 is installed in.

Each horizontal shaft 1620″ can include a protrusion 1628, which can befixed to the horizontal shaft 1620″, rotate just clockwise about thehorizontal shaft 1620″, rotate just counter-clockwise about thehorizontal shaft 1620″, or rotate both clockwise and counter-clockwiseabout horizontal shaft 1620″. Each protrusion 1628 can be any suitablestructure and size as any other protrusion noted herein, and include ornot include through holes as any other protrusion noted herein.

Another embodiment of device 1600 is shown in the side view of FIG. 39 .In this embodiment, a horizontal shaft float 1653 is included. Thishorizontal shaft float 1653 can be operably connected to one or more ofthe horizontal shafts 1620″ and/or the shaft connector 1651. Horizontalshaft float 1653 can be any suitable structure, shape, size and materialthat is buoyant.

Two additional embodiments of protrusions are shown in FIGS. 40-43 . Theprotrusions of FIGS. 40-43 are designed to be removable from a shaftand/or placed onto a shaft, to be replaced themselves or to replaceoriginally installed protrusions if any protrusion becomes worn down,and/or breaks, and/or is not functioning as desired due to interactionwith the environment.

One embodiment of a replacement protrusion 1728R1 is shown in FIGS. 40and 41 . In this embodiment four plates 1730 are shown, but in otherembodiments, one, two, three, five or more plates 1730 can be included.The plates 1730 can be substantially flexible and form a shaft cavity1705 of a sufficient diameter/circumference to extend around a shaft ofany device of the disclosure.

As seen in FIG. 41 , a plate extension 1730′ extends a distance up anadjacent plate 1730, and is attached by a connecting mechanism 1755. Theconnecting mechanism 1755 is any structure capable of maintaining theposition of plate extension 1730′ relative to the adjacent plate 1730′,such as a buckle mechanism, a fastener, a ratchet mechanism, a clipmechanism, a zipper mechanism, a zip tie mechanism, an adhesive, etc.

The replacement protrusion 1728R1 can be formed of any suitable materialsuch as plastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials,elastomer, rubber, woven materials such as nylon and combinationsthereof.

A second embodiment of a replacement protrusion 1728R2 is shown in FIGS.42 and 43 . The protrusion 1728R2 of FIG. 42 is one length of amaterial, which can be folded to contact itself along 4 different plates1730″. The portions of the material that contact each other at plateseams 1757 can be attached to each other through any suitable way, suchas by adhesive, sewing, stapling, etc.

The connecting mechanism 1755 is any structure capable of maintainingthe position of two portions of the plate 1730″ relative to the eachother, such as a buckle mechanism, a fastener, a ratchet mechanism, aclip mechanism, a zipper mechanism, a zip tie mechanism, an adhesive,etc.

The replacement protrusion 1728R2 can be formed of any suitable materialsuch as plastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s), carbon-based materials,elastomer, rubber, woven materials such as nylon and combinationsthereof.

The plates 1730″ can be substantially flexible and form a shaft cavity1705 of a sufficient diameter/circumference to extend around a shaft ofany device of the disclosure.

The device 1800 is shown in FIG. 44 . The device 1800 includes asubstantially planar base/anchor 1856. In some embodiments,substantially planar base/anchor 1856 is a single, unitary structure. Inthis embodiment the substantially planar base/anchor 1856 is shown ashaving a substantially conical section that can penetrate at least aportion of a substrate, but in other embodiments substantially planarbase/anchor 1856 can be any suitable shape. The substrate can be anyseabed, riverbed, lake floor or ocean floor.

In this embodiment of device 1800, three protrusions 1828 are operablyattached to three shafts 1820. In this embodiment three protrusions 1828are shown, but in other embodiments, one, two, four or more protrusions1828 can be included.

In this embodiment, three shafts 1820 are shown, but in otherembodiments, one, two, four or more shafts 1820 can be included. Theshaft 1820 can be substantially flexible and can be formed of anysuitable flexible material, such as rope, cable, thread, wire, string,chain, twisted twine, twisted mason line, synthetic fibers, fishingline.

The device 1800 is configured to be placed on a lower surface of a bodyof water, with the substantially planar base/anchor 1856 beingconfigured to penetrate a portion the lower surface and substantiallymaintain the location of the device on the lower surface. Eachprotrusion 1828 is sufficiently buoyant, so as to remain at leastpartially in the water column. Each protrusion 1828 can be any suitablematerial (such as foam, plastic, wood, rubber, glass, metal,combinations thereof, etc.) and construction (such as solid, hollow,partially solid, partially hollow) so that the protrusion 1828 is ofsufficient buoyancy to maintain at least a portion of the shaft 1820 adistance away from the anchor 1856.

A vertical cross-section of the device 1800 is shown in FIG. 45 . As canbe seen in this embodiment, each protrusion 1828 includes a hollowportion to create buoyancy.

A shaft *20 is shown in FIG. 46 . Shaft *20 can be any shaft, or aportion of any shaft, in this disclosure. In this embodiment, shaft *20includes an electricity generation element 75. In this embodiment, theelectricity generation element 75 can be a triboelectric nanogenerator(TENG) element. In this embodiment a charge-generating layer 75A and acharge-collecting layer 75B are illustrated, with other components sucha charge-trapping layer and a charge storage layer being present but notbeing illustrated. However, in other embodiments, the electricitygeneration element 75 can be any structure capable of convertingmechanical movement to electrical charge, such as a piezoelectricelement.

In addition, the shaft *20 is included with can also include anelectricity storage device, such as a battery. Alternatively, the shaft*20 can be electrically connected to wire and/or one or more othershafts *20, to transmit gathered electricity a distance away from eachshaft *20.

While in use, the shaft *20 would be subject to many environmentalforces, such as wave, tide, current and/or wind forces, for significantamounts of time. Thus, during use, the electricity generation element 75of the shaft *20 can receive such physical forces and convert them toelectrical charges.

A top view of the shaft *20 is shown in FIG. 47 .

A shaft **20 is shown in FIG. 48 . Shaft **20 can be any shaft, or aportion of any shaft, in this disclosure. In this embodiment, shaft **20is substantially hollow, and is at least partially filled with strands77, which can extend at least a portion of shaft * *20. In thisembodiment seven strands 77 are illustrated, but in other embodiments,one, two, three, four, five, six, eight or more strands 77 can be withinshaft *20, with each strand 77 being the same cross sectional shape or adifferent shape, including any polygon, curved, or erratic shape.

Each strand 77 can be the same material as any other strand 77, or adifferent material, such as plastic, glass, ceramic, metal(s),carbon-based materials, elastomer, rubber, rope, cable, thread, wire,string, chain, twisted twine, twisted mason line, synthetic fibers,fishing line, sisal, coconut fiber and combinations thereof, and can berigid, substantially rigid, flexible, or substantially flexible.

The strands 77 can be included in shaft **20 to modify the flexibilityand/or the rigidity of the shaft *20 depending on environmentalconditions and operational targets.

The disclosure is further described in the Example(s) below.

EXAMPLE 1

For 18 days in March, controlled tests were conducted to determine andmeasure what impact the devices of the present disclosure have onsediment accretion in a natural system. To conduct this test one device,similar to the device of FIG. 1 , was installed after four days of basedata measurement. This device included a corkscrew and shaft, with 20protrusions located along the shaft and with each protrusion including 6plates. Each of the 6 plates were about 1 inch in height and about 6inches in length, with each of the 6 plates including six through holes.Each of the protrusions extended around the shaft, with each of theprotrusions being configured to rotate freely in both the clockwisedirection and the counter-clockwise direction.

On day 1, a section of wetland that formed a portion of a flowing river,which periodically reversed its flow in accordance with the tides, waschosen. The chosen portion is a portion of a tidal river that is incommunication with a portion of the Great South Bay of Long Island, N.Y.A substantially flat section of this wetland/river was specificallyselected. Particularly, the site of implementation of the device in thewetland/river was exposed during low tide, and was submerged about 20inches during high tide. The wetland/river was about 8 feet wide at thelocation of the installed device.

On Day 1, four yard sticks (referred to as 1, 2, 3, and 4) were eachpushed about 12 inches into the substrate of the wetland/river.Yardstick 1 was placed adjacent to the future site of the installeddevice, with yardsticks 2, 3, and 4 installed both upstream anddownstream, in the locations shown in FIG. 49 .

Sediment accretion data was then gathered for the next 4 days withoutthe device of the present disclosure installed. After the 4 days, thedisclosed device was installed in a location adjacent to yardstick 1.After installing the device, daily measurements were gathered for atotal of 18 days, with each measurement being conducted at low tideconditions. These measurement data are shown in FIG. 50 .

As can be seen in FIG. 50 , for the location adjacent the discloseddevice (Yardstick 1), a significant increase in sediment depth wasmeasured within a few days, and that increased level was substantiallymaintained, and slightly increased, for the duration of the discloseddevice being installed.

The described embodiments and examples of the present disclosure areintended to be illustrative rather than restrictive and are not intendedto represent every embodiment or example of the present disclosure.While the fundamental novel features of the disclosure as applied tovarious specific embodiments thereof have been shown, described, andpointed out, it will also be understood that various omissions,substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devicesillustrated and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the disclosure. For example, itis expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/ormethod steps which perform substantially the same function insubstantially the same way to achieve the same results are within thescope of the disclosure. Moreover, it should be recognized thatstructures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described inconnection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the disclosure maybe incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form orembodiment as a general matter of design choice. Further, variousmodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit or scope of the disclosure as set forth in the following claimsboth literally and in equivalents recognized in law.

1. A device comprising: a corkscrew; a substantially flexible shaftoperably attached to the corkscrew at a first end of the shaft; and oneor more protrusions extending from the shaft between the first end ofthe shaft and a second end of the shaft.
 2. The device of claim 1,wherein the one or more protrusions comprise a central support, whereinthe central support is operably connected to one or more plates or thecentral support is formed of a unitary piece of material with the one ormore plates.
 3. The device of claim 2, wherein the one or more platescomprise one or more through holes through the one or more plates. 4.The device of claim 2, wherein the central support comprises a domeextending from a substantially flat surface of the central support. 5.The device of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises an upper shaft and alower shaft, wherein the device further comprises a barrel spring thatoperably connects the upper shaft to the lower shaft.
 6. The device ofclaim 1, wherein the one or more protrusions includes one or more firstprotrusions and one or more second protrusions, wherein a diameter ofthe one or more first protrusions is smaller than a diameter of the oneor more second protrusions.
 7. The device of claim 2, wherein thecentral support is a plate holder that is operably connected to the oneor more plates, and wherein the plate holder comprises a shaft cavityand at least one plate channel.
 8. The device of claim 7, wherein theone or more plates are selected from the group consisting of: one ormore plates that are twisted along an axis that is substantiallyparallel to the shaft cavity; one or more plates that comprise a mainbranch and one or more sub branches; one or more plates that arecurvilinear and curve to each side of the axis that is substantiallyparallel to the shaft cavity; and one or more plates that are twistedalong an axis that is substantially parallel to the shaft cavity andcomprise a substantially flat portion that is substantiallyperpendicular to the axis of the shaft cavity.
 9. The device of claim 1,wherein the shaft comprises an upper shaft and a lower shaft, whereinthe device further comprises a barrel spring that operably connects theupper shaft to the lower shaft, and wherein the one or more protrusioncomprises a single protrusion operably connected along at least amajority of a length of the upper shaft
 10. The device of claim 9,wherein the one protrusion comprises a through hole area and a solidarea.
 11. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more protrusionscomprise calcium.
 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the calciumcomprises calcium carbonate.
 13. The device of claim 1, wherein the oneor more protrusions comprise one protrusion, wherein the one protrusioncomprises one or more protrusion cells and one or more protrusionapertures.
 14. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or moreprotrusions comprise one protrusion, wherein the one protrusioncomprises a hollow cavity and at least one corkscrew tunnel.
 15. Thedevice of claim 1, further comprising at least one horizontal shaftslidably connected to the substantially flexible shaft by a shaftconnector, wherein the one or more protrusions extend from the at leastone horizontal shaft, between a first end of the at least one horizontalshaft and a second end of the at least one horizontal shaft.
 16. Thedevice of claim 15, further comprising a horizontal shaft float operablyattached to the shaft connector.
 17. The device of claim 1, wherein atleast a portion of the substantially flexible shaft is a hollow portion.18. The device of claim 17, wherein the hollow portion comprises anelectricity generation element.
 19. The device of claim 17, wherein thehollow portion comprises one or more strands that extend at least aportion of a length of the substantially flexible shaft.
 20. A devicecomprising: an anchor; a substantially flexible shaft operably attachedto the anchor at a first end of the shaft; and one or more protrusionsextending from the shaft between the first end of the shaft and a secondend of the shaft.